1. Field
This invention relates to printing systems and methods for printing documents, more particularly for methods of printing documents containing barcodes.
2. Background
Barcodes are prevalent as means for allowing machines to convert images of wide or narrow bars into alphanumeric identification codes. One example commonly known is the Uniform Purchase Code (UPC). This code is printed on packaging for items purchased in most stores. Scanners identify the item by converting the image of the bars into a code. The retail computer system can then use that code to identify the item from the store inventory and associate it with the proper price.
Other sorts of barcodes are also common. The US Postal Service uses barcodes imprinted on the bottom of envelopes. This allows postal sorting machines to read the recipient address and sort the envelopes into the appropriate outgoing bin. Consumers can download a software program that allows them to print the appropriate barcode on their own envelopes, facilitating the handling of their mail. These are just two examples of several different types and applications of barcodes. These codes are readable by conventional barcode scanners.
One are in which the use of barcodes would be convenient is in the conversion of hard copies of documents to electronic versions. For example, a document creator gives a hard copy of a document to another person. If the other person desires an electronic copy of the document, that person must either ask the author to provide an electronic copy, such as by e-mail or on diskette, or the document must be scanned. Scanning a document creates images of each page of the document, but to place it in editable format, the images must undergo Optical Character Recognition (OCR). The OCR process is not exactly accurate, so the resulting document typically has to be edited to correct improperly converted text.
It is possible that the author could create barcodes representing the document, but currently that requires special software. It also requires the author to print the document, and then using the software, print it again. The second printing may be accomplished by designating the files within the software, retyping the document piece at a time into the conversion software or cutting and pasting the document. The author is required to print the document twice, once to produce the hard copy of the document, and then again to produce the barcodes. While this allows the recipient of the document to convert the printed barcodes back into the document, it doubles the amount of effort to create the barcodes. This typically results in the author not performing the conversion and having to follow one of the previous approaches, wasting time and effort.
Barcodes, which for purposes of this document will include all machine-readable formats, used to only include limited amounts of information, such as the UPC mentioned above. However, newer methods of encoding information include such things as two-dimensional barcodes that can encode much larger amounts of information than previously.